memphiz
07-19-2004, 06:55 PM
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A US pilot who bombed Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan (news - web sites), killing four, was refused an appeal of his punishment and finding of guilt in the "friendly fire" incident, the US Air Force said.
"Today, Lieutenant General Bruce Carlson, 8th Air Force Commander, declined to grant Major Harry Schmidt's appeal of his Article 15 punishment," the Air Force said in a statement.
"The appeal will be forwarded to General Hal Hornburg, Commander, Air Combat Command, for his review and final decision," the statement said.
Schmidt was found guilty of dereliction of duty on July 6 and reprimanded for "willful misconduct," in connection with a April 17, 2002, incident in which he mistook a live-fire training exercise for Taliban fighters.
He dropped a laser-guided bomb, killing four Canadians and injuring eight others.
Schmidt also forfeited 5,672 dollars in pay and agreed not to fly again as part of the settlement.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20040719/capt.sge.ojx75.190704221316.photo00.default-256x380.jpg
A combination file photo of four Canadian soldiers, Private Nathan Smith, Corporal Ainsworth Dyer, Sergeant Marc D. Leger and Private Richard Green (R to L, from top) who were killed in a so-called 'friendly-fire' incident on 17 April, 2002 near Kandahar, Afghanistan
"Today, Lieutenant General Bruce Carlson, 8th Air Force Commander, declined to grant Major Harry Schmidt's appeal of his Article 15 punishment," the Air Force said in a statement.
"The appeal will be forwarded to General Hal Hornburg, Commander, Air Combat Command, for his review and final decision," the statement said.
Schmidt was found guilty of dereliction of duty on July 6 and reprimanded for "willful misconduct," in connection with a April 17, 2002, incident in which he mistook a live-fire training exercise for Taliban fighters.
He dropped a laser-guided bomb, killing four Canadians and injuring eight others.
Schmidt also forfeited 5,672 dollars in pay and agreed not to fly again as part of the settlement.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20040719/capt.sge.ojx75.190704221316.photo00.default-256x380.jpg
A combination file photo of four Canadian soldiers, Private Nathan Smith, Corporal Ainsworth Dyer, Sergeant Marc D. Leger and Private Richard Green (R to L, from top) who were killed in a so-called 'friendly-fire' incident on 17 April, 2002 near Kandahar, Afghanistan